Work to start next week on new ‘Market Garden’ at Swansea Market

Construction work is set to start next week on a new ‘Market Garden’ area at the heart of Swansea Market, where people can eat, work and enjoy themselves.

It follows a public consultation back in March where people were able to choose from a number of designs.

Swansea Council say that work will take several weeks, but they aim to keep any disturbance to a minimum and the market will remain fully open.

Transparent fencing will go up around the construction area to keep people safe and to maintain sightlines for neighbouring stalls.

The green-themed Market Garden- due to open in good time for Christmas – will feature more than 170 plants together with an assortment of comfortable, garden-style tables and chairs for visitors to enjoy food and drink bought from a wide variety of market stalls.

Operated in line with latest Covid guidelines, it will have free public Wi-Fi, power charging facilities, recycling bins and a water station to refill water bottles.

Highchairs will be available to those with young children. There will be warmers for baby bottles and food – and there will be a toddlers’ play table.

For the first time, dog lovers will be able to bring their well-behaved pets to the market. Dogs will be able to enjoy a bowl of water at Swansea Jack’s kennel – as long as they follow the market’s new “doggie rules.”

Council cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies said: “The Market Garden is part of a £440,000 improvement programme at this wonderful venue.

“It will help the market play a key role in Swansea’s great future, being led by our £1bn regeneration scheme.

“These are exciting times for the market and the wider city centre.”

The Market Garden, which will be close to the famous cockle stalls, will be visible from every direction due to its 7.5m-high pergola, the shape of which mirrors the market’s monumental domed roof.

Once built, The Market Garden will stand on an under-used space in the centre of the market. It currently has tables rented by the day by casual traders.

They will cease trading in that area after this Saturday but will remain in the market, hiring space at a smart new area a few yards away and still next to the world-famous stalls that sell cockles, laver-bread and other delicacies.

Swansea Council appointed a new Market Supervisor, Swansea-born Darren Cox earlier this week. The news came as previous Market Supervisor, John Burns retired after more than 30 years in the job.

Lead Image: How Swansea Market’s new eating, meeting and greeting area – the Market Garden – will look. (Image: Swansea Council)